1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image pickup apparatus, such as a digital still camera. The invention also relates to a method for assembling such an image pickup apparatus.
2. Description of Related Art
Recently, a higher resolution, as well as size and weight reduction has been achieved for image pickup apparatuses such as a digital still camera.
FIG. 14 is a perspective view showing the external appearance of a conventional image pickup apparatus.
As shown in FIG. 14, the conventional image pickup apparatus 100 contains an image pickup portion 105 containing a lens, an image pickup element and so on and being partially exposed outside. A trim ring 101 is disposed around the image pickup portion 105. The image pickup portion 105 is fixed to a front panel of the image pickup apparatus 100 with a plurality of screws 106 (see FIG. 13).
FIG. 15 is an exploded perspective view showing the configuration of the trim ring 101. As shown in FIG. 15, the trim ring 101 is made up of a cover ring 102 made of metal, a double-faced tape 103 and a holding ring 104 made of a resin. The trim ring 101 is completed by attaching the cover ring 102 to the holding ring 104 with the double-faced tape 103 in this configuration. Additionally, a plurality of engaging claws 108 are arranged on the rear surface of the surface of the holding ring 104 onto which the double-faced tape 103 is attached.
When fixing the trim ring 101 to the image pickup apparatus 100, the engaging claws 108 (see FIG. 15) formed on the holding ring 104 are engaged with engaging holes formed in the image pickup apparatus 100, as shown in FIG. 13. Thus, the screws 106 can be concealed by the trim ring 101.
An image pickup apparatus as described above can be assembled in accordance with the flowchart shown in FIG. 16. First, an auxiliary light cover, which forms the outer enclosure of a light-emitting portion 109, is fixed to the inner surface of a front cover 122 with the double-faced tape (Step S11).
Next, the image pickup portion 105 is fixed temporarily to the inner surface side of the front cover 122, and then finally fixed from the surface side of the front cover 122 with the screws 106 (Step S12).
Next, a frame on which a circuit board and a battery unit and so on are mounted is fixed to the inner surface of the front cover 122 with screws (Step S13).
Next, a top cover 121 is fixed temporarily (Step S14), and a rear unit (not shown) is fixed temporarily (Step S15), and side covers 123 are fixed temporarily, and the whole structure is fixed with a screw 124 (Step S16).
Finally, the trim ring 101 is fixed to the front cover 122 (Step S17). Thus, the image pickup apparatus 100 is completed.
A configuration in which the image pickup portion is fixed with screws from the front surface side of the image pickup apparatus in the above-described manner is disclosed, for example, in FIG. 1 of JP 2004-260704A.
However, in the conventional configuration, the trim ring 101 is made up of the cover ring 102, the double-faced tape 103 and the holding ring 104, resulting in the problem of a large number of components and cost increase.